The Riverside resident had imagination and creativity for bringing thousands of people together for a themed event.

For 36 years, Tucker crafted the Huck Finn Jubilee, a celebration of Americana that put visitors in touch with their roots and earned an international award for the Top Bluegrass Festival in the World in 2001.

“We received such an overwhelming amount of prayers, love and support from family and friends throughout the U.S. and internationally that I was confident my dad was going to recover,” said Tucker’s daughter Breana.

Passionate about landscape and design, Tucker, who was born on April 24, 1949, in Riverside, earned a landscape architecture degree from Cal Poly Pomona.

He was the CEO of a family-owned and -operated business created in the mid-1980s.

“He was my dad, I loved him with my whole being and recovery was the only acceptable outcome,” his daughter said.

“My mom had her hand on his head, my sister had her hand on his heart and I held his hand and together we watched him take his last breath,” said Tucker’s son Brian. “If I had it my way, that’s the way I want to go.”

Tucker, who died Monday, is survived by his wife of 36 years, Barbara, his children Brian and Breana; and siblings Dale, Dianne, Dave, Loren, Lowell, Carol, Lynne and Joe.

Huck Finn’s Jubilee will relocate to Ontario

ONTARIO – After 36 years at Mojave Narrows Regional Park in Victoville, organizers of Huck Finn’s Jubilee announced it is relocating the festival to Cucamonga-Guasti Regional Park.The festival on June 14-16 will bring at least 20,000 people to the Ontario park and is expected to inject $9.4 million into the local economy, organizers said.

The bluegrass-themed festival is a celebration of the life and times of Mark Twain characters’ Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn.

The move to Ontario was in part due to the death of founder Don Tucker in October.

“The emotional ties to Mojave Narrows were too great an obstacle for the family to overcome,” Brian said. “We wanted to begin a new chapter rather than closing the book all together.”

But Tucker said he talked about the event with his sister, Bree, and mother, Barbara, who was a co-founder. They knew it would be difficult to duplicate the event without the presence of the late founder.

“We wanted to keep the tradition alive but we couldn’t to do it at his park,” Tucker said.

Rather than cancel the event, they decided to bring it to Ontario and, because of the new territory, the family brought in the Ontario Convention Center and Visitors Bureau for assistance.

The Tucker family will put on the event while the Ontario Convention Center and Visitors Bureau will assist with some of the marketing to promote the event in the Ontario area. The bureau will also assist in hotel lodging for out-of-towners.

“With the new location, there’s an opportunity to bring an additional new audience. My job is to help them build more attendance,” said Michael Krouse, president and CEO of the Ontario Convention Center and Visitors Bureau.

In previous years, the event attracted about 15,000 people. Krouse said he hopes to see it grow to at least 18,000 in the first year.

Officials said they expect a $9.4 million economic impact as a result of people booking hotel rooms, eating at local restaurants and shopping in nearby stores, Krouse said.

Tucker said the San Bernardino County Regional Parks was also cooperative in assisting with the changes.

The 150-acre Cucamonga-Guasti park boasts plenty of open space for the planned activities as well as for the anticipated campers. It is also conveniently located near area hotels, Tucker said.

Even though the Jubilee will have a new home, Tucker said people will not notice much change to the activities. Each year, families have packed the camper with kids, banjos and fishin’ poles and run away for a weekend of fun in the country.

“It’s truly a family event. It’s so diverse it will appeal to so many people,” Tucker said.

ONTARIO – After 36 years at Mojave Narrows Regional Park in Victoville, organizers of Huck Finn’s Jubilee announced it is relocating the festival to Cucamonga-Guasti Regional Park.

The festival on June 14-16 will bring at least 20,000 people to the Ontario park and is expected to inject $9.4 million into the local economy, organizers said.

The bluegrass-themed festival is a celebration of the life and times of Mark Twain characters’ Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn.

The move to Ontario was in part due to the death of founder Don Tucker in October.

“The emotional ties to Mojave Narrows were too great an obstacle for the family to overcome,” Brian said. “We wanted to begin a new chapter rather than closing the book all together.”

But Tucker said he talked about the event with his sister, Bree, and mother, Barbara, who was a co-founder. They knew it would be difficult to duplicate the event without the presence of the late founder.

“We wanted to keep the tradition alive but we couldn’t to do it at his park,” Tucker said.

Rather than cancel the event, they decided to bring it to Ontario and, because of the new territory, the family brought in the Ontario Convention Center and Visitors Bureau for assistance.

The Tucker family will put on the event while the Ontario Convention Center and Visitors Bureau will assist with some of the marketing to promote the event in the Ontario area. The bureau will also assist in hotel lodging for out-of-towners.

“With the new location, there’s an opportunity to bring an additional new audience. My job is to help them build more attendance,” said Michael Krouse, president and CEO of the Ontario Convention Center and Visitors Bureau.

In previous years, the event attracted about 15,000 people. Krouse said he hopes to see it grow to at least 18,000 in the first year.

Officials said they expect a $9.4 million economic impact as a result of people booking hotel rooms, eating at local restaurants and shopping in nearby stores, Krouse said.

Tucker said the San Bernardino County Regional Parks was also cooperative in assisting with the changes.

The 150-acre Cucamonga-Guasti park boasts plenty of open space for the planned activities as well as for the anticipated campers. It is also conveniently located near area hotels, Tucker said.

Even though the Jubilee will have a new home, Tucker said people will not notice much change to the activities. Each year, families have packed the camper with kids, banjos and fishin’ poles and run away for a weekend of fun in the country.

“It’s truly a family event. It’s so diverse it will appeal to so many people,” Tucker said.

Huck Finn’s Jubilee: Same Great Festival, Brand New Location

Following head and heart, family members move the popular Father’s Day Weekend eventto Ontario for greater access, exposure and enhanced offerings.

Imaginations will still run free at the annual Huck Finn Jubilee, which after 36 years is moving to Cucamonga-Guasti Regional Park in Ontario.

The decision to move the popular bluegrass-themed festival from its original location at Mojave Narrows Regional Park was bittersweet for the family of event founder Don Tucker, who passed away after suffering a stroke in October.

“His life was a festival waiting to happen,” said Tucker’s wife and event co-producer, Barbara Tucker. “We wanted to preserve his legacy through the continued production of this event. It is our family’s hope that all of the loyal attendees who have grown to love spending Father’s Day at the Huck Finn Jubilee will continue to support its existence by joining us again in 2013.”

Cucamonga-Guasti Regional Park brings fresh levels of enthusiasm and excitement to the festival, said son Brian Tucker, who with his sister, Bree, grew up with the event.

“The emotional ties to Mojave Narrows were too great an obstacle for the family to overcome,” he said. “We wanted to begin a new chapter rather than closing the book all together.”

Cucamonga-Guasti Regional Park is a 150-acre venue that boasts a show area with green grass, bountiful trees and two stocked lakes for fishing. As an added bonus, the park is surrounded by a variety of hotels; it offers quick and easy access from the I-10 freeway, Ontario International Airport and also includes pedal boating, a playground, a zero-depth water play park and swim lagoon with water slides.

“It’s the perfect backdrop to the event,” said Bree Tucker. “We’ll still have the same bluegrass concerts, egg tosses, river raft building and hot air balloon rides, but we’ll have the opportunity to add new activities as well.”

Huck Finn’s Jubilee will take place June 14-16 at Cucamonga-Guasti Regional Park, off Interstate 10 at the Archibald Exit in Ontario. For more information, visit www.huckfinn.com.

January 19, 2013 11:39 AM

VICTORVILLE • Organizers of the long-running Huck Finn Jubilee announced Friday they will move the annual celebration to Ontario after more than three decades in Victorville.

Held yearly on Father’s Day weekend, the event called Mojave Narrows Regional Park home through 2012. According to DVT Marketing, the event’s producing company since its inception, Cucamonga-Guasti Regional Park in Ontario will now play host, beginning June 14. The new venue features two regularly stocked lakes and will allow the event to feature new activities while maintaining tradition, according to organizers.

Don Tucker, founder of the event, passed away in October after suffering a stroke. After years with the San Bernardino County Regional Parks Department, Tucker became CEO of DVT Marketing, a family-owned business that was created in 1983.

“He loved his days at Calico and getting Huck Finn off the ground,” said Tucker’s wife, Barbara after he passed. “His life was always a festival waiting to happen.”

Read more about the move in Sunday’s Press Dispatch.

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Tom Sawyer is making his 36th annual appearance at the Huck Finn Jubilee at Mojave Narrows in Victorville, California, during Father’s Day weekend. Visitors can enjoy greased pole climbing, jumping frogs, tethered hot air balloon rides, arm wrestling, horseshoe pitching, a fishing derby and a whole heck of a lot of bluegrass and country music.

Country crooner Joe Diffee makes an appearance on the main stage on Thursday night at 8 p.m. Friday night’s headliner is Mark Twain himself at 9 p.m.

Other musical acts that are scheduled throughout the festival include Silverado, Lisa Haley and the Zydekats, Stetson and Cia, Scott Gates and Evan Marshall, Highway 65, the Pearce Family, local Julie Wingfield and almost local (Oak Glen) Riley’s Moutaineers. There will be jam sessions and music workshops going on all weekend long.

Artisans will be on hand to present their creations in an American country craft fair, which will include clothing, home decorator items, toys, sculpture, quilts and wood arts. Crafting demonstrations take place throughout the weekend.

Moutainmen will camp along the shores of horseshoe lake. Tomahawk throwing, musket loading, fire-building, storytelling, rope making and blacksmithing are among the activities that visitors can observe and enjoy.

A food court will offer vittles to please every palette. Vendors will be selling corn on the cob, elephant ears, ribs, brisket, lemonade and much more.

Mojave Narrows is a regional park operated by the county of San Bernardino. It is located on the bank of the Mojave River and offers overnight camping packages that include festival admission for three or four days. Checkwww.huckfinn.com for the latest in campsite availability and fees.

Pets are allowed in the campground area only and only for those who camp overnight. Be aware that skunks, possums, raccoons, foxes, coyotes, and other wild critters are common in the campground so if you bring your dogs with you, keeping an eye on them is a must. Tick, flea and heartworm preventative are highly recommended due to the wilderness nature of the area.

For daytime entrance to festival only, the cost is $20 per day for adults, $5 for children 6 to 12 years old and children under 5 and under are free. All stage shows are included in the cost of admission. Parking and fishing are free with event tickets although anyone 16 years old and older must have a fishing license. Hot air balloon rides require an additional fee.

VICTORVILLE – Run away this weekend to the barefootin’ days of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn when they shared exciting adventures along the Mississippi River.Raft-building, catfishing, hot air balloon rides, bluegrass and country music are just part of the fun at the 36th annual Huck Finn’s Jubilee.

Old-fashioned fun is at the 800-acre Mojave Narrows Regional Park.

The family-owned and operated Jubilee is a three-day escape – this year set for its traditional Father’s Day weekend run, Friday through Sunday.

“This year, more than ever, we’re discovering the good ol’ USA is important,” said Don Tucker, jubilee founder and executive director. “Especially with this event, we can get in touch with our roots and rediscover the USA.”

The party starts Thursday night with a kick-off concert starring Joe Diffie at 8 p.m.

This year’s Jubilee may be the most celebrated in history, beginning with Joe Diffie on Thursday night, and ending with Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers performance on Father’s Day Sunday.

Hop to Huck Finn’s Jubilee next weekend in Huck Finn’s Jubilee in Victorville

Seems that Dads these days spend a lot of their time stressed.The economy, job situations, family issues and fast-paced schedules take their toll.

So why not take Dad back in time – say to 1876 – when Mark Twain penned his classic “Adventures of Tom Sawyer,” featuring the beloved characters Tom Sawyer and his friend Huck Finn.

Barefootin’ days along the muddy Mississippi did not include laptops, iPods or tight schedules.

Huck Finn’s Jubilee, now in its 36th year, is a great American party with old-fashioned fun starting Thursday and continuing through Sunday at the 800-acre Mojave Narrows Regional Park in Victorville.

The regional sits on an oasis resembling parkland found along the Mississippi River.

A barbecue honoring our veterans, from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, is free for the first 1,000 veterans. The dinner is followed by a concert featuring Joe Diffie.

The “California Frog Story” returns with the irascible Mark Twain portrayed for the 10th year by the talented Mike Randall. “Mark Twain Live” will be presented at 9 p.m. Friday.

During the three-day festival, you can find games that include building river rafts, climbing a greased pole, searching for nickels in a haystack and tossing horseshoes. All are free to enter and ribbons are awarded to winners.

Hot air balloons rise early each morning to give a bird’s-eye view of Pelican Lake and the campgrounds. The regional park offers fishing, horseback riding and a water splash area.

There’s also a Friday night barn dance in the mountain man village, a Huck Finn look-alike contest on Saturday and the Tom Sawyer Fence Painting Championship on Sunday afternoon.

Look for a crafts village with handmade goodies and a Vittles Village with great grub.

A Route 66 Car show with pre-1982 car entries arrives Saturday and Sunday. The California State Arm Wrestling Championships and the Deering Banjo Championships are both held at noon Saturday.

At the heart of the Jubilee is its music. The Gatlin Brothers take center stage at 6 p.m. Sunday. Live bands will be performing continuously throughout the weekend.

Named Bluegrass Event of the Year by the International Bluegrass Music Association in 2001, the Huck Finn Jubilee continues to showcase top names in country and bluegrass music.

The festival not only features top name entertainment on the main stage, but also hosts guitar, banjo, band and songwriting workshops in a more intimate setting.

Weekend camp arrivals are welcome and are available upon entering the park. A three-day admission with two night camping package is $75. Youth ages 6-12 are $20.

Jubilee hours are 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday; and 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday. Daily admission is $20; youth 6-12 are $5. Children younger than 6 are admitted free. Parking is also free.

Mojave Narrows Regional Park is at 18000 Yates Road. Take the 15 Freeway to the Bear Valley Road exit, drive east to Ridgecrest Avenue and turn north three miles to the park.

The Jubilee’s website, huckfinn.com, features a complete schedule, camping, special discount offers and ticket information. Other info is available by calling 951-780-8810.

Huck Finn Jubilee, June 15, 16, 17, 2012

In recent years, a ground swell of interest from dedicated fans has encouraged Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers to perform selected dates they now refer to as “The Gatlin Brothers Never Ending Reunion Tour.” This year, the famous trio who popularized the hit song “All the Gold in California” can be found performing at Huck Finn’s 36th Jubilee on Father’s Day, June 17.

The 6 pm concert highlights “A Great American Party” designed to rediscover the Good ol’ USA, and it takes place at Mojave Narrows Regional Park in Victorville. Each year, families pack the camper with kids, banjos, and fishing poles and in the spirit of Mark Twain, run away for some old fashioned fun in the country.

Nearly 50 years of family harmonies, a Grammy for “Broken Lady” in 1976 and Academy of Country Music Award for “All the Gold in California” in 1979 sent the trio to the top of the country charts. There were more than a dozen top 40 hits including “Denver,” “Houston”(Mean That I’m One Day Closer To You),” and “Love Is Just A Game.”

Larry, Steve and Rudy Gatlin started singing in their little hometown of Abilene, Texas, and from there went on to make music history. Over the course of a four decade long career that has taken the Gatlin Brothers from dusty Texas stages to White House performances, Broadway and Grammy awards, there has been one unifying element, music.

Today, however, Larry Gatlin notes, “You know what Bob Dylan said,…things they are a changin’.” To the delight of Tucker, the Gatlin Brothers chose to perform on Father’s Day during the Jubilee.
Throughout the 70′s and 80′s, the Gatlin Brothers lit up major marques and packed concert halls across America. In concert, their performances became magical events, filled with incredible family harmonies and downright fun for both the trio and their audience. But, in 1992 they fell silent for nearly 20 years. “I always wanted to showcase the Gatlin Brothers, and when they stopped touring, I thought I’d missed my chance,” states Don Tucker, who in past years has shared great artists like Merle Haggard, Roger Miller and Earle Scruggs with Jubilee fans.

At this stage, the Gatlins have the best of both worlds, family and friends, plenty of work, as individuals and together.

Named Bluegrass Event of the Year by the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) in 2001, the Huck Finn Jubilee continues to showcase top names in Country and Bluegrass music. This year’s impressive lineup includes IBMA’s Entertainer of the Year, Steep Canyon Rangers, The Seldom Scene, Ronnie Reno and the Reno Tradition, Chris Jones and the Night Drivers, Grammy Nominee, Lisa Haley, and Dry Branch Fire Squad among others.

A high desert tradition since 1976, The Huck Finn Jubilee not only features top name entertainment on main stage, but, it also hosts guitar, banjo, band and songwriting workshops in a more intimate setting. Musical jam sessions or pickin’ parties also run nearly all night long in special campgrounds on the park.

The 800 acre Mojave Narrows Regional Park in Victorville, where the Jubilee is held, sits on an oasis resembling parkland found along the Mississippi River. To reach it, take the Bear Valley Road exit off I-15, then go east to Ridgecrest Ave., and turn north to the park.

The Jubilee’s website, www.huckfinn.com carries complete schedule, camping, special discount offers and ticket information. Other information on this Great American Family Event is available by calling 1-951-780-8810.

For more information: Don Tucker (951)780-8810 or huckfinn@huckfinn.com

Victorville, CA –Huck Finn Jubilee, the Largest Bluegrass Jam in the World, combines the best of country music entertainment with a themed weekend of games, activities, contests and non-stop fun to make for a annual family event that people return to time & again. Grab your dulcimers, your fiddles, banjos, guitars and singing voices, and prepare to find a home among the stars of Bluegrass. Concerts and clinics are just the start of the fun at Huck Finn Jubilee where kids sometimes show up dressed likeTom Sawyer and Becky Thatcher. Events during the weekend include contests and activities right off the pages of the books by Mark Twain such as the adventures of Tom Sawyer. and a guest appearance is made on stage by the famed author (a look- alike Twain).

Huck Finn’s 35th Jubilee – Mark Twain’s America Revisited is relived in Victorville, Calif. with jumping frogs, hot air balloons and the arrival of a small town circus. During the three-day festival families can whitewash fences, build river rafts and climb a greased pole. Nearly all 1880′s style contests are free to enter, and winners receive not only bragging rights, but ribbons too!

In a return to Hannibal, Missouri, Tom & Becky help select a boy to be Huck during Saturday’s Huck Finn look-a-like contest. The threesome then assists in running activities, which continue through Sunday, and Injun Joe’s Treasure Hunt. Kids can also join the antics of the Russell Bros. Circus, learn how to make rope and “Sing for a Pie” in the Mountain Man Village.
On Main Stage, Mark Twain Live is presented through the considerable talents of Mike Randall. He travels from New York to spin tales of Tom and Huck, bad habits, political elections, and a famous frog from California on Friday at 9 p.m.FRIDAY - The music is amazing! Beginning at Friday at noon and till 9 p.m. the concerts and acts include bluegrass non-stop. On Friday night there’s a barn dance put on by The Riley Family, known for their Oak Glen Apple Farm that hosts many festivals and shows throughout the seasons. “Old Fashion Barn Dance” on Friday night from 8:30 to 11 p.m. is an event that you can only appreciate by experiencing it. It’s low tech, old-fashioned and includes live music, dancing and an incredibly good time in a community atmosphere. Then on Sunday, The Rileys return for an Old-Time Gospel Sing at 9 a.m.; They even provide the hymnbooks.

Friday’s band line up is an all star cast but it just continues each day. Among the Friday performers are Grasslands, X-Train with Peter McLaughlin & Ross Nickerson, The Gibson Brothers, Bluegrass Etc., Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, guitar and mandolin workshops, Line Dance workshops, and the Deering’s Bluegrass Jam School for kids age 8 to 15 years.

Blind Bogie Fish Derby begins on Friday and goes through Saturday, and includes prizes.

SATURDAY - Music includes Scott Gates & Salty Suites, Sierra Hull & Highway 111, New Found Road, Rodney Dillard and the Dillard Band, Grasslands and hours upon hours of bluegrass from morning till night on several stages.

Sunday includes bands, clinics, Arm Wrestling, and many of the same activities held on Saturday.

Directions: South of Victorville, exit I-15 at Bear Valley Road, go east on Bear Valley Road four miles to Ridgecrest Ave., turn north three miles to the park.

Where to stay: Hotels located nearby offer overnight lodging in Victorville. Mojave Narrows Regional Park where the jubilee is held, is surrounded by woods, meadows and lakes along the Mojave River. It offers camping, horseback riding and fishing .

With more Americans looking to rediscover the Good ol’ USA this summer, the Huck Finn Jubilee near Victorville believes that Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers’ hit song “All the Gold in California” might ring true as it prepares to welcome close to home vacation travellers into its magical world without the TV.

The 36 year old self proclaimed “Great American Party” annually celebrates the life and times of Tom and Huck, Mark Twain’s popular storybook characters. Both local residents and out of town visitors, including Tom Sawyer and Becky Thatcher, ambassadors from Hannibal, Missouri spend Father’s Day weekend in Southern California’s High Desert.

Partnering with the Inland Empire Tourism Council and DiscoverIE the summer vacation style event runs June 15-17, and continues to breathe economic life into the Victor Valley, offering Country and Bluegrass music, crafts and outdoor activities for the family, while supporting hundreds of jobs and contributing millions in economic goodwill to the High Desert.

It is held at the 800-acre Mojave Narrows Regional Park, near Route 66. From Victorville, follow I-15 to the Bear Valley Rd. exit. Drive east to Ridgecrest Ave. and turn north three miles to 18000 Yates Rd. and the park. Unlike its High Desert surroundings, The Narrows is an oasis bordering the Mojave River and resembles parkland near the Mississippi River. Parking is free and camping is offered.

During the three-day festival you can find games that include building river rafts, climbing a greased pole, searching for nickels in a haystack and tossing both horseshoes and cow chips. All are free to enter, and ribbons are given to winners.

There’s a Friday night barn dance at the Mountain Man Village, a Huck Finn
look-a-like contest on Saturday, and the Tom Sawyer Fence Painting Championship
Sunday afternoon. A Crafts Village offers items that are hand-made and uniquely American, and there are barbeque ribs, ice cream and corn on the cob in the Vittles
Village.

The Route 66 Car Show offers pre-1982 show car entries one free admission with one
paid admission when arriving Saturday and Sunday. The California State Arm Wrestling
Championships and the Deering Banjo Championships both are held at noon on Saturday
and offer t-shirts, trophies, titles, and cash as prizes.

Main stage hosts a Mark Twain Live performance on Friday, bluegrass music’s Steep Canyon Rangers on Saturday and Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers on Father’s Day.
They headline more than 30 hours of music on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

Music continues into the evening, and all-night picking parties are held in special campgrounds on the park. The Deering Banjo Company offers a free music jam school
Friday and Saturday, and workshops in fiddle, banjo, guitar, vocal harmony and songwriting continue all three days. Named 2001 Bluegrass Event of the Year by the
International Bluegrass Music Association, the Jubilee also provides many informal
“chat sessions” that bring both artist and fan together.

Hot air balloons rise early each day and provide aerial views of Pelican Lake, and campgrounds in Mojave Narrows. Some campsites have electrical hookups for RVs. The
regional park offers fishing, horseback riding and a water splash area.

Weekend camp arrivals are welcome and are available upon entering the park. In Victorville and Hesperia, the Hilton Garden Inn, Hawthorn Suites, Holiday Inn Express, and the Courtyard by Marriott offer special rates to Huck Finn visitors upon request. Youth ages 6yrs thru 12yrs are admitted free to the Jubilee when hotel key is presented. Families can also camp at the Mojave Narrows Regional Park campgrounds.

Tickets are on sale now (http://huckfinn.com/tickets/) and are discounted until June 4. Camping with electrical hookup is readily available, and it’s not too early to get a reservation for this popular weekend festival. A three-day admission with two nights camping package is $85 for adults and $20 for youth ages 6 thru 12.

Jubilee hours are Friday and Saturday from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Sunday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Daily admission is $20 for adults and $5 for youth ages 6yrs thru 12yrs. Children younger than 6 years are free. Parking is also free.

Information, camping and tickets are available by calling (951)780-8810 or visiting www.huckfinn.com.

Victorville is located in Southern California along historic Route 66. Enjoying its 36th season, the Huck Finn Jubilee offers a great Father’s Day weekend get-a-way for families, RV enthusiasts and vacation travellers.

When you think of Huck Finn, it’s not likely you’d think of Arm Wrestling. However, if you know anything about the U.S. Arm Wrestling Association, you’ll know the California “Open” State Arm Wrestling Championships take place during Huck Finn’s Jubilee in Victorville, California each year.

Randy Sampias coordinates the tournament that returns Saturday, June 18th to Mojave Narrows Regional Park. Nearly 100 contenders are expected to vie for the California title. “Because it’s an open tournament, both amateurs and professionals can compete, “Sampias says. “The separate weight classes also allow everyone to enter on his own level and come out a state champion.”

Success in arm wrestling demands more than strength. A clever arm wrestler combines speed, balance, physical and mental conditioning and knowledge of body leverage to defeat his opponents.

There are twelve classes offered for the men’s competition. Bantam, light, middle, light-heavy, heavy and super heavy weight for men’ right and left hand categories are available. Women can compete in a separate open class. Anyone 18 years and older can compete and details are available by calling Sampias at (760) 868-6835.

Weigh-in for the competition starts at 9 a.m. during the Jubilee. The tournament begins at noon in the Shed World Arena at Mojave Narrows Regional Park. There is an entry fee of $25. All contestants will receive Souvenir T-shirt of the competition, and trophies are awarded through 3rd place. The arm wrestling competition promises plenty of action for participants and spectators alike. It is one of the many activities planned during the weekend at Huck Finn’s 35th Jubilee.

If you never had a reason to go to Victorville, located way down south, west of Ventura, maybe now you do. If your kids have always had a hankering for Huck Finn tales, here’s your chance to make literature come alive.

It takes a heap more than a chawed off piece of straw and a few freckles to make a good Huck Finn. Becoming Mark Twain’s most popular storybook character takes a whole lotta heart…and a frog in your pocket doesn’t hurt none either.

In Victorville, California, they’ve been picking a boy to be Huck for the past 29 years. It’s all part of the annual Huck Finn Jubilee – this year held June 16-18.

But the Jubilee is more than a look-a-like contest. It’s a three-day escape into a new summer. Each year on Father’s Day weekend, families pack the camper with kids, banjos, and fishin’ poles and run away for a weekend of fun in the country.

WHAT TO EXPECT

As the Jubilee unfolds, the spirit of the author who penned the classics Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is presented on stage Friday, June 16, at 8 p.m. in the form of Mark Twain Live.

There’s a cow chip throwing contest, an Injun Joe’s Treasure Hunt, and the Route 66 Car Show – where a “People’s Choice” award goes to the classiest pre-1970 show car arriving on Saturday and Sunday.

The California State Arm Wrestling Championships are a hoot! They not only test the strength, but more importantly, the technique of guys and gals on Saturday at high noon.

Anyone can try his hand at white washing fences, building river rafts, and climbing a greased pole. Nearly all contests are free to enter, and ribbons are given to winners. Small fries can join the antics of the Russell Bros. Circus and learn how to make rope at the Mountain Man Village.

AIR BALLOONS, TOO

In the cool morning hours, hot air balloons launch at 7 a.m. for a ride over the parks two man-made lakes and large campgrounds. The 800 acre Mojave Narrows Regional Park is located in a region of woods, meadows and lakes along the course of the Mojave River near Victorville. Camping, horseback riding and fishing offer a laid back, close to home vacation break for families needing to get away.

Jubilee hours are Friday and Saturday from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Sunday from 7 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Daily admission for adults is $15, (Sunday $20). Youth, ages 6 yrs. thru 11 yrs. are $5 each day, and children under 6 years are free. Parking is also free.

Many motels are located nearby and information is available by calling the Victorville Chamber of Commerce at (760) 245-6506.DIRECTIONS

Mojave Narrows Regional Park is located south of Victorville. Take the
Bear Valley Road exit off I-15, then go east to Ridgecrest Ave. and
turn north to the park. For further information call (951) 341-8080,
or visit www.huckfinn.com

08 June 2011

2011 Huck Finn Jubilee

Huck Finn Jubilee returns to Victorville, Friday 17 – 19 Sunday 2011. The 35 year old self proclaimed “great American party” annually celebrates the life and times of Tom and Huck, Mark Twain’s popular storybook characters.

The Jubilee is held at the 800 acre Mojave Narrows Regional Park where unlike its high desert surroundings, is an oasis bordering the Mojave River and resembles parkland near the Mississippi River. Parking is free and camping is offered.

During the three day festival you can find games that include building river rafts, climbing a greased pole, searching for nickels in a haystack and tossing horseshoes. All are free to enter, and ribbons are given to winners.

A crafts village offers items that are hand- made and uniquely American, and there are barbeque ribs, ice cream and corn on the cob in the Vittles village.

A Route 66 Car Show offers pre-1982 show car entries one free admission with one paid when arriving Saturday and Sunday. The California State Arm Wrestling Championships and the Deering Banjo Championships both are held at noon on Saturday and offer t-shirts, trophies, titles, cash and a Deering Eagle II banjo as prizes.

Main stage hosts a Mark Twain Live performance on Friday and old time country and bluegrass music with “Hee Haw’s” Roy Clark, Rodney Dillard from the Andy Griffith Show, and RFD Television’s Leroy Troy and the Tennessee Mafia Jug Band. They headline more than 30 hours of music Friday, Saturday and Father’s Day.

Music continues into the evening, and all night picking parties are held in special campgrounds on the park. The Deering Banjo Company offers a free music jam school Friday and Saturday, and workshops in fiddle, banjo, guitar, vocal harmony and songwriting continue all three days. Named 2001 Bluegrass Event of the Year by the International Bluegrass Music Association, the Jubilee also provides many informal “chat sessions” that bring both artist and fan together.

Hot air balloons rise early each day and provide aerial views of Pelican Lake, and campgrounds in Mojave Narrows. Some campsites have electrical hookups for RVs. The regional park offers fishing, horseback riding and a water splash area.

Celebrating its 35th year, the Huck Finn Jubilee continues to breathe life into the Victor Valley each Father’s Day weekend, offering family fun, supporting hundreds of jobs and contributing millions in economic goodwill to the High Desert.

Both local residents and out-of-town visitors can park their RV and pitch the tent for the kids at this year’s Huck Finn Jubilee, June 17-19, in Victorville, California.

The self-proclaimed “Great American Family Event” annually celebrates the life and times of Tom and Huck, Mark Twain’s popular storybook characters.

It is held at the 800-acre Mojave Narrows Regional Park, near Route 66, in Southern California. From Victorville, follow I-15 to the Bear Valley Rd. exit. Drive east to Ridgecrest Ave. and turn north and drive another three miles to 18000 Yates Rd. to the park. Unlike its High Desert surroundings, The Narrows is an oasis bordering the Mojave River and resembles parkland near the Mississippi River. Parking is free and camping is offered.

During the three-day festival you can find games that include building river rafts, climbing a greased pole, searching for nickels in a haystack and tossing horseshoes. All are free to enter, and ribbons are given to winners.

A Crafts Village offers items that are hand-made and uniquely American, and there are barbeque ribs, ice cream and corn on the cob in the Vittles Village.

The Route 66 Car Show offers pre-1982 show car entries one free admission with one paid admission when arriving Saturday and Sunday. The California State Arm Wrestling Championships and the Deering Banjo Championships both are held at noon on Saturday and offer t-shirts, trophies, titles, cash and a Deering Eagle II banjo as prizes.

Main stage hosts a Mark Twain Live performance on Friday and old-time country and bluegrass music with “Hee Haw’s” Roy Clark, Rodney Dillard from the Andy Griffith Show, and RFD Television’s Leroy Troy and the Tennessee Mafia Jug Band. They headline more than 30 hours of music on Friday, Saturday, and Father’s Day.

Music continues into the evening, and all-night picking parties are held in special campgrounds on the park. The Deering Banjo Company offers a free music jam school Friday and Saturday, and workshops in fiddle, banjo, guitar, vocal harmony and songwriting continue all three days. Named 2001 Bluegrass Event of the Year by the International Bluegrass Music Association, the Jubilee also provides many informal “chat sessions” that bring both artist and fan together.

Hot air balloons rise early each day and provide aerial views of Pelican Lake, and campgrounds in Mojave Narrows. Some campsites have electrical hookups for RVs. The regional park offers fishing, horseback riding and a water splash area.

Weekend camp arrivals are welcome and are available upon entering the park.

In Victorville and Hesperia, the Hawthorn Suites, Hilton Garden Inn, Holiday Inn Express, the Courtyard by Marriott and Red Roof Inn offer special rates to Huck Finn visitors upon request. Youth ages 6 thru 12 are admitted free to the Jubilee when hotel key is presented. Families can also camp at Mojave Narrows Regional Park campgrounds.

Tickets are on sale now and are discounted until June 6. Camping with electrical hookup is readily available, and it’s not too early to get a reservation for this popular weekend festival. A three-day admission with two nights camping package is $85 for adults and $20 for youth ages 6 thru 12.

Jubilee hours are Friday and Saturday from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Sunday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Daily admission is $20 for adults and $5 for youth ages 6 thru 12. Children younger than 6 years are free. Parking is also free.

Victorville is located in Southern California along historic Route 66. Enjoying its 35th season, the Huck Finn Jubilee offers a great Father’s Day weekend get-a-way for families, RV enthusiasts and vacation travelers.

Lots to do at the 35th Annual Huck Finn Jubilee

Looking for a weekend adventure to take dad on for Father’s Day? Well, the annual Huck Finn’s Jubilee will be taking over Mojave Narrows Regional Park in Victorville that weekend.

The festival offers a variety of activities for the whole family, from the Tom Sawyer Fence Painting competition, river raft build, liar’s contest, even a treasure hunt.

There is a lot offered for entertainment as well including the Russell Bros. Circus, to lots of live music, with Doyle Lawson, Roy Clark and Rodney Dillard as the headlining acts, but with many other bluegrass and country performers playing as well.

Dad, or mom, can even participate in the California State Arm Wrestling Championships at the festival. Entry is $25 and winner goes home with the “California Amateur Champion Title,” but everyone goes home with a t-shirt.

There is also a Route 66 Classic Car show, where cars pre-1972 are encouraged to enter.

On Friday night, festival goers will get a chance to see Mark Twain, as portrayed by Mike Randall from Mark Twain Live in New York.

And there will be lots of food at the Vittles Village. Taking on the atmosphere of an old-fashioned picnic, you can have our share of BBQ beef, baked beans, corn on the cob, homemade lemonade and ice cream.

The festival begins Friday, June 17, with camping opening on Thursday, and ends that Sunday. Tickets for the weekend including camping are $95 for all three nights, and $85 for just Friday and Saturday camping, and $20 for juniors.

Daily admission to the festival is $20 per day for adults and $5 per day for juniors, ages 6 to 12, with little ones 6 and younger getting in for free.

Park your RV and pitch the tent for the kids at this year’s Huck Finn Jubilee, Father’s Day weekend, June 17-19 in Victorville, California.

The 35 year old self proclaimed “great American party” annually celebrates the life and times of Tom and Huck, Mark Twain’s popular storybook characters.

The Jubilee is held at the 800 acre Mojave Narrows Regional Park, near Route 66, in Southern California. From Victorville, follow I-15 to the Bear Valley Rd. exit. Drive east to Ridgecrest Ave. and turn north three miles to 18000 Yates Rd. and the park. Unlike its high desert surroundings, The Narrows is an oasis bordering the Mojave River and resembles parkland near the Mississippi River. Parking is free and camping is offered.

During the three day festival you can find games that include building river rafts, climbing a greased pole, searching for nickels in a haystack and tossing horseshoes. All are free to enter, and ribbons are given to winners.

A crafts village offers items that are hand- made and uniquely American, and there are barbeque ribs, ice cream and corn on the cob in the Vittles village.

A Route 66 Car Show offers pre-1982 show car entries one free admission with one paid when arriving Saturday and Sunday. The California State Arm Wrestling Championships and the Deering Banjo Championships both are held at noon on Saturday and offer t-shirts, trophies, titles, cash and a Deering Eagle II banjo as prizes.

Main stage hosts a Mark Twain Live performance on Friday and old time country and bluegrass music with “Hee Haw’s” Roy Clark, Rodney Dillard from the Andy Griffith Show, and RFD Television’s Leroy Troy and the Tennessee Mafia Jug Band. They headline more than 30 hours of music Friday, Saturday and Father’s Day.

Music continues into the evening, and all night picking parties are held in special campgrounds on the park. The Deering Banjo Company offers a free music jam school Friday and Saturday, and workshops in fiddle, banjo, guitar, vocal harmony and songwriting continue all three days. Named 2001 Bluegrass Event of the Year by the International Bluegrass Music Association, the Jubilee also provides many informal “chat sessions” that bring both artist and fan together.

Hot air balloons rise early each day and provide aerial views of Pelican Lake, and campgrounds in Mojave Narrows. Some campsites have electrical hookups for RVs. The regional park offers fishing, horseback riding and a water splash area.

Weekend camp arrivals are welcome and are available upon entering the park.

Tickets are on sale now and are discounted until June 1. Camping with electrical hookup is readily available, and it’s not too early to get a reservation for this popular weekend festival. A three day admission with two nights camping package is $75. Youth ages 6 yrs. thru 12 yrs. are $20.

Jubilee hours are Friday and Saturday from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Sunday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Daily admission is $20. Youth ages 6 yrs, thru 12 yrs. is $5. Children younger than 6 yrs. are free. Parking is also free.

Information, camping and tickets are available by calling 1 (951) 780-8810 or going to HuckFinn.com .

Roy Clark Headlines Annual Bluegrass Festival at Mojave Narrows

By Paisley Taylor

Don Tucker, producer of the popular Huck Finn Jubilee, founded and has been running the internationally acclaimed bluegrass music event for 35 years. At its inception, when looking for a location for his festival, Tucker came upon Mojave Narrows. “The park is extremely unique, and the first thing that came to mind was that it looks like Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn land.”

Thus the theme of the event was born. Tucker explains, “The facility is extremely important because it helps define the event. Luckily I was able to combine the mythical character by Mark Twain with Father’s Day weekend, old fashioned Americana style family fun, and Bluegrass music into the Jubilee.”

“The most amazing thing is that this family run event has been around 35 years in the Victorville community. That’s a long time for an event,” says Tucker, who also spearheaded the well-known festivals at Calico Ghost Town. “Especially if it’s bluegrass. Those don’t have a tendency to stay around very long.”

Tucker explains many similar festivals started in the 70’s, including notable ones like the Golden West Bluegrass Festival, but are now gone. Tucker feels it’s the business model that has kept it alive.

“From an events standpoint, it’s got to be a “Great American Family Event”, so a lot of the focus is to make it family friendly.”

To that end, they don’t serve liquor. “It means we don’t get the behavior that comes with it,” he says. They also have a host of family activities that hearken back to the days of Huck Finn. “Entertainment doesn’t have to be expensive,” says Tucker. “It can be creative.” Kids and adults alike can enjoy the Russell Bros. Circus, visit a handmade crafts village, participate in an egg tossing contest, frog jumping contest, greased pole climbing contest, river raft building, fence painting and more. “A lot of these activities are a throw- back to a nostalgic past – you dream about doing, but never participate in unless you go to a unique event.”

Tucker is family- conscious in his pricing also. “I came from a large family, and it was tough sometimes to get enough money together to go to an event.” He also thinks about the single parent with kids. “We have business sponsors with whom we partner to do Kids Free promotions.” This year’s promotions are detailed on their website. “We want to make sure families can afford to come. We follow the Disneyland pricing structure, where what you pay at the gate is all-inclusive. We don’t hit you for parking, or rides,” Tucker says. “You can pretty much enjoy nearly everything with the one admission price.”

The entertainment Tucker books is specific to family as well. “We made a decision to bring in acts that we remember, we grew up with, or our parents grew up with, and that we’d like to introduce to our kids.” Tucker is pleased that his festival attracts some big names, including Merle Haggard, Roger Miller, Earl Scruggs, Oak Ridge Boys, Ricky Skaggs, and of course, Roy Clark.

Tucker recalls, “Roger Miller actually called us. It was the most money we’d ever spent, but he was in town doing a voice over for Disney’s “Big River” and thought it would be fun to come and do. Everyone got to see Roger Miller for eight bucks.”

The Huck Finn Jubilee has a significant impact on the High Desert’s local economy. “The demographics change each day. Friday is more out-of-towners,” Tucker says. “People fly in from Ohio, Missouri, Arizona, Colorado, all over the place. Some of these people come every year, camp out, and meet with their friends they haven’t seen since last year. They host evening parties and play their instruments at night. It’s a big tradition.” As many as 1000 campsites can be filled during the festival, and many stay for almost a week. “A lot of people park the unit, then go sight-seeing or shopping.”

Saturday is more a 60/40 mix, heavy on out of area visitors. Sunday changes to 60% local, and is a big Father’s Day draw for High Desert locals.

Overall, the festival pulls in 14,000 visitor days, which is a count of each person, each day. The impact on the local economy includes increased hotel stays, purchases of gas, propane, ice, food, and shopping.

Tucker partners with five hotels in the area and negotiates reduced prices for the Huck Finn weekend. Plus the “host” hotel guests can get their kids in free to the festival. “Usually rates go up when there’s a special event,” says Tucker. “We promote our ‘host’ hotels to travel writers around the world.”

The biggest challenge for Tucker is unexpected. “Getting people through that front gate as fast as possible,” Tucker says. “Everything is in even numbers so making change is easier. If someone is waiting in line and not making good progress, they are turning around and going home. We spend the most money at the front gate, and train the staff so they can work quickly.

June 27, 2008 9:48 AM

FROM STAFF REPORTS

Here are two photos of the new Huck Finn (Sam Ostgaard) standing in between Tom Sawyer (Christian Locke) and Becky Thatcher (Mikayla Todd) from Hannibal, Missouri.

Huck has been invited to attend the National Tom Sawyer Days on the July 4th weekend in Hannibal this year. He will represent The Huck Finn Jubilee, Victorville, Ca at this national event, be interviewed on PBS television, judge contests, ride in a hometown parade, and be the guest of the Hannibal Chamber and Visitor and Convention Bureau.

Beginning at 9 a.m. with weigh-ins, the tournament starts at noon. There are 12 classes offered for the men’s competition. Women compete in a separate class.

Randy Sampias, state director of the American Arm Wrestling Association, said, “The most important factors in winning a match are good sportsmanship and a desire to win.”

Sampias has worked to unite the sport under one umbrella, the Arm Wrestling Federation, which in turn would fall under World Arm Wrestling.

The sport evolved from what was known as wrist wrestling. Half a century ago, a journalist named Bill Sobranes observed a match in Gilardi’s Saloon in Petaluma. He fell in love with the sport and decided to promote it.

Today, there is a standardization of rules and equipment, such as the official table.